Although another film sequel has been long desired by fans, Lethal Weapon was instead rebooted as a TV series in 2016. Unlike the unsuccessful CBS TV version of Rush Hour, this show was actually a hit when it first premiered.

Unfortunately, however, Fox's Lethal Weapon experienced growing problems behind-the-scenes. That led to an insurmountable change, which ultimately resulted in the show's untimely demise. Here's why Lethal Weapon was canceled in 2019, after three seasons.

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The Lethal Weapon TV Show Suffered a Troubled Production

Martin Riggs looks into the distance on Fox's Lethal Weapon

The Lethal Weapon series began to experience difficulties with the firing of star Clayne Crawford, who played Martin Riggs (inspired by Mel Gibson's film role). That followed reports of on-set problems, beginning with Crawford losing his temper due to what he considered to be unsafe working conditions. The matter was resolved with an apology and studio-prescribed therapy. However, another tirade reportedly followed -- Crawford disputed that claim -- and the actor was fired.

That almost resulted in Lethal Weapon's cancellation, until producers cast a replacement for Crawford ahead of Season 3: Seann William Scott as Wesley Cole. Unfortunately, star Damon Wayans, who portrayed Danny Glover's character, Murtaugh, made it clear he couldn't continue with Lethal Weapon. The 58-year-old diabetic informed producers that his health was a concern. That required changes to the show's production to accommodate the actor and keep him on board. With one star gone and another possibly leaving, it was only a sign of things to come for Lethal Weapon on the small screen.

RELATED: Lethal Weapon: Why & How Clayne Crawford's Riggs Died

Lethal Weapon Season 3's Declining Ratings

Roger Murtaugh and Wesley Cole from Fox's Lethal Weapon series

Fans of the Lethal Weapon series quickly made their opinion known about the cast change. The show's ratings tanked by the time the third season premiered, and the viewership decline only worsened in the final stretch. The first season averaged around 6 million viewers per episode, which decreased to about 4 million in Season 2. By the third, Lethal Weapon attracted only about 3 million viewers per episode. This Lethal Weapon season was also the shortest, with just 15 episodes.

This was a decline from a 1.57 rating in viewership to a measly .71. To be fair, those numbers weren't exactly the end of the world, but the writing was clearly on the wall. In the end, it was the combination of the cast changes and the general downturn in ratings that made Fox pull the plug on the Lethal Weapon television series.

Fox CEO Charlie Collier stated that Lethal Weapon's cancellation was one in a series of "tough choices" ultimately made "in the quest to be number one." Afterward, the network began to move away from remakes and adaptations of movie franchises.